good morning, america. breaking overnight, final punches thrown in the last battle before the voting starts. a major endorsement overnight. all the details on why the race is so up in the air, just 17 days out. just about anyone can win. mansion murder mystery. brand-new details this morning on the couple gunned down in their sprawling estate. the grisly scene, cleaned of shell casings, with no sign of a struggle, leaving some to ask, does it point to a mob hit? what's one of the largest lingerie companies hiding behind that sexy underwear. the disturbing, new details on where your cotton may be coming from. is this victoria's real secret? and wrong turn. justin bieber pulled over again,

while driving his stripped-out bat mobile. why does the superstar never say never to the rules of the road? clear skies here in times square this morning. getting ready for the weekend. but boy, out west. all kinds of wild weather in southern california. look at that thunderstorm. lightning -- the thunderstorm dumped several inches of hail across southern california. dozens of pictures were sent into our station, kabc, out in los angeles. it was really something. and the storm also spawned waterspouts and funnel clouds right off the beaches. it was really something else in southern california last night. >> and they have been having some really bad weather lately. and we're going to tell you a story behind another amazing photo. a mrefr holding the hand of a woman pinned under a bus. promising not to leave until she

could. she did. and she's fine. we're going to tell you the back story to this. >> such courage. that was really something. but we do begin with the white house race. your voice, your vote. and we saw a sober, new tact from the front-runners. but john berman is here to report that the gloves did not come completely off. >> reporter: no, there were a lot of things overnight. as you were sleeping, mitt romney will pick up one of the most coveted endorsements around. south carolina governor, nikki haley. south carolina, such an important primary state. and this comes after a debate where newt gingrich took some hits. but the surprise there. not from mitt romney. how did newt gingrich respond after a week of attacks by mitt romney and supporters? a political man-hug on medicare. >> i think governor romney deserves some of the credit to help figure out how to make this workable. >> reporter: why the love? >> i'm very concerned about not appearing to be zany.

>> reporter: a joke. but he meant it. he says he regrets he let romney get under his skin. and as for romney, not a single ill word for the speaker. only the president. >> our president thinks america's in decline. it is, if he's president. it's not, if i'm president. >> reporter: but the love stops there. michele bachmann was on a mission. seized the final spotlight. first, at newt's expense. >> the speaker had his hand out. and he was taking $1.6 million. we can't have a czar nominee for the republican party. someone who continues to stand for freddie mac and fannie mae. >> sometimes people ought to have facts before they make wild allegations. >> reporter: when they had a similar clash on abortion -- >> sometimes congressman bachmann doesn't get her facts straight. >> reporter: she had the toughest words of the night. >> i think it's outrageous to continue to say over and over through the debates that i don't have my facts right, when as a matter of fact, i do.

i'm a serious candidate for president of the united states. and my facts are accurate. >> reporter: it wasn't just newt she was after. ron paul, on iran. >> i think this wild go to have another war in the name of defense is the dangerous thing. the danger is really us overreacting. >> nothing could be more dangerous than the comments than we just heard. >> reporter: and in the better late than never category, rick perry seems to have found his debate footing. on congress -- >> cut their pay in time. cut their time in washington in half. cut their staff in half. send them home. let them get a job like everybody else at home has. >> reporter: poised for a comeback? >> i hope that i am the tim tebow of the iowa caucuses. >> reporter: don't expect the romney team to take its foot off the gas. today, they launch ads in south carolina. and supporters start airing those blistering negative ads about newt in florida, george.

let's get something else from abc's jake tapper. jake, you did see rick perry and michele bachmann really hitting hard last night. but mitt romney, after a week of very personal attacks on newt on the stamp, completely pulls back. a bit of a surprise. >> reporter: the romney campaign, george, figures that last week, after the abc news debate, while the likes of you and i were saying gingrich had a good night deflecting attacks, mitt romney achieved what he wanted to achieve. he took out his shiv. he stuck it in newt gingrich. he did the damage. and all through the week through negative advertising in iowa, gingrich, in the view of the romney campaign, has been bleeding. his poll numbers have been sinking. so, there was no need for mitt romney to go negative against him because he is already on a boat. newt gingrich is already on a boat that is sinking. >> meanwhile, you also had, he may be sinking in iowa. but you also had michele bachmann, and to some extent, ron paul, doing romney's work for him.

is there a sense inside the gingrich camp that they are taking on water? and is there anything they can do to stop it? >> reporter: they figure the best thing he can do is to continue to put out a positive message. let's be frank about michele bachmann. she was once the leader in iowa. she was born in iowa. she is from neighboring minnesota. this really is a last stand for her. theoretically she can continue as a candidate after iowa. if she does not have a strong showing in the iowa caucus, appealing to those voters who are, theoretically her voters. they are conservative. they are evangelical, in many cases. there's really no compelling argument for her to keep going on. she has to deliver that argument. she has to make that argument. and you heard an undercurrent there in her objection to gingrich's dismissal. an undercurrent of, you're dismissing me because i'm a woman. that's an appeal to women voters in iowa. >> much more than an undercurrent. >> you got that right, george. let's get now, to the

other -- josh elliott, right? still josh? >> i get that all the time. yeah. we got a lot of news to get to. lets, shall we? we begin with the scandal surrounding victoria's secret this morning. the company is promising a full investigation, after accusations that the cotton it uses is grown using child labor. our colleagues at bloomberg report that the cotton comes from the african nation where children are often pulled from school to work in the field. bloomberg's profiled a 13-year-old beaten by a man she works for on a farm. and it says companies must be more watchful when operating overseas. >> you're operating in a country like this where child labor is endemic. where there are huge problems across west africa and other places around the world. and you have to be especially cautious, even when you're trying to do it right. >> the owner of victoria's secret says it is prepared to take swift action in response to these accusations. and we're just getting breaking news overseas now from

moscow. news reports saying that customs agents have seized radioactive sodium from luggage bound for iran. few other details are being released at this point. but this comes amid new tensions between the u.s. and iran, after a report shows iranians making unexpectedly quick progress in building their nuclear program. we'll have more information as it comes available this morning. also, a breakthrough in washington overnight. negotiators in congress have ended a standoff that threatened to shut down the government at midnight tonight. both sides have agreed to a trillion-dollar spending package there. also closer to extending the payroll tax deduction, to prevent more money being taken from your paychecks. and the man accused of opening fire in a minnesota courthouse is in custody this morning. police say the 42-year-old facing sexual misconduct charges shot a prosecutor multiple times. the prosecutor underwent surgery last night. is expected to survive. the small courthouse, we should note, does not have metal

detectors. and writer and orater, christopher hitchens has died. an avout atheist, harshly criticized motherer the race is a and many others. he was a long-time contributing editor at "vanity fair." hitchens was 62 years old. and finally, a slippery situation for one, young deer. and the two ice skaters who tried to rescue him. you see the deer trying to stand in the middle of this -- half-frozen lake in canada. the two took a rope and a jacket they were wearing. and strapped it around the little guy or girl. >> it's a girl. it's a doe. >> she got dragged across the ice there. the cushion, safely sliding her, across that ice, back to shore, safe and sound. >> amazing how calm she was through all that. >> she wanted off the ice. >> i'll do it. >> i'm there. all right, josh. thanks very much. >> you bet.

now, the latest on penn state. a key witness in the sex abuse case against jerry sandusky, expected to be center stage at a court hearing today. and a lawyer for sandusky has a surprising, new theory, on why the coach was showering with young boys. abc's jim avila joins us with much more on this. good morning, jim. >> reporter: good morning, robin. it's an interesting take on jerry sandusky taking showers with boys. he said he wasn't talking about his client. it can all be educational. it could be the oddest defense yet. but with a straight face and in all seriousness, jerry sandusky's new co-counsel, told our abc affiliate whtm in harrisburg, pennsylvania, that sandusky was not doing anything sexual with the boys. and was not just horseplay in the showers, as was earlier explained. the coach was helping them learn correct hygiene.

teaching someone to take a shower sounds strange. but there's a lot of people who are dependent that has to be taught basic life skills. >> anytime a defense attorney says it may sound strange to some people, it's going to sound strange to a lot of people. this guy's gone from a football coach to a shower coach? that's the defense? >> reporter: today, another important milestone in this case. one of the key witnesses, coach mike mcqueary, is scheduled to take the stand in the preliminary hearing for two former penn state officials, who are charged with perjury and failing to report child abuse. >> mcqueary is not just an important witness in this perjury case. he's the witness. he's the reason that these two officials got indicted. >> reporter: in fact, mcqueary, according to the grand jury, saw the most graphic of the sexual assaults and reported it. but there's reports since then that he may have seen less than he claimed. today in court, we'll find out.

>> thanks, so much. more on the shocking murder we told you about yesterday. police now believe the couple found shot in their mansion outside of boston may have been killed by the mob. abc's linsey davis is here with the latest. >> reporter: good morning, george. super mysterious. police are flushing out a new theories. new details are emerging this morning, including the kind of weapon that was used. it was likely a high-caliber gun. the bullets used reportedly went through the floor and into the basement. abc news has learned massachusetts real estate developer jack magee and his wife, geri, were found dead wednesday morning by their daughter and grandchildren. the family made the grisly discovery on the first floor of the couple's sprawling estate, during the children's regular wednesday morning visit. >> jack and geri used to be grandma and grandpa. and they would baby sit on wednesdays for the kids. >> reporter: the couple was reportedly lying head-to-head, shot in the neck. sources telling one local tv

station, there was no sign of a struggle. and that shell casings from bullets had apparently been cleaned up. signs of a well-planned killing. police are calling the crime a double-homicide. but refuse to confirm details. saying only, there are no suspects. adding to the mystery, the couple's lexus suv, seen here after being recovered by police. the car was found 25 miles away wednesday, in an area known for man activity. it had been badly burned. late thursday, police spoke to paul merkandetti, a family friend a that had dinner with the couple friday night. >> jack is a guy, who strives to make things right and do things properly. >> reporter: he has known the couple for more than 40 years and was in their wedding. he finds it hard to believe they could have been targeted. >> i know a lot of the friends that they had. i know a lot of the people they do business with. and there's absolutely no reason at all why this happened. >> reporter: he says the

couple's son was in the process of taking over the family's home construction business. he also describes them as an extremely close-knit family. a lot of people, george, scratching their heads on this one, when the idea of organized crime is mentioned. >> they're not buying it? >> reporter: they're not sure. they say it doesn't make sense, based on the people they knew. now, to a moment of gentle courage and kindness. this picture captures it. a police officer holding the hand of a woman pinned by a bus. abc's neal karlinsky has the backstory. the scene was chaos. a woman hit and pinned under a bus. you see first respondering rushing in, pounding in woodblocks to prop it up. one cop did something else. >> as i walked up to the bus, i could see her foot or her shoe, sticking out from underneath. >> reporter: vest valley utah

police officer kevin peck found a terrified woman. 24-year-old aryann smith, bleeding but conscious. >> she wasn't able to move. but she could still breathe. >> reporter: he did the only thing he could. he held her hand and told her, he wouldn't leave until she did. >> just squeezed my hand and told me not to let go. and i wasn't going anywhere. >> reporter: her legs were badly hurt. he says she was afraid she would die. so, with half his body under the bus, he held on tight. >> i had to reassure her we had paramedics and firefighters and other people coming to help. >> reporter: there, in their only little world together, peck says he remembered that the street felt cold. and the weight, while only minutes, seemed like forever. >> i could hear people working and arriving outside. and i, you know, just pray and hoping it would be a matter of moments. >> reporter: this one moment, lying there under the bus, with only a hand to hold and words of encouragement. that, he says, reminded him why he became a cop in the first

place. >> you know, i think there's things that happen that just really make you appreciate life and how fragile it is. >> reporter: smith is now recovering in a hospital. officer peck says, what he remembers most is how brave she was. for "good morning america," neal karlinsky, abc news, seattle. >> sure appreciate how he said it reminded him of why he wanted to be a police officer in the first place. sam, i heard you saying, at that moment like that, you don't want to be alone. >> no. you can imagine. under that bus. please, don't leave me alone. and this guy, amazing. good morning, everybody. >> happy friday. >> happy friday to you. we're going to talk about the storm out of california. the cold core low blasts out of alaska, straight down the california coastline. talking with josh, he's never seen this, maybe once. long beach, covered with hail. and the waterspouts off the coastline. if you want to sound smart today. take a look at this. tell your friends you want to be completely accurate.

that's not hail. it's grapple. right between hail and wet snow, is grapple. that's a wet hail there. >> wow. >> thank you very much. all of this wind comes in behind that system. and it's a windy day in southern california today. check the warmer temperatures on the eastern seaboard. we're on our way down to cold core air. two cold fronts come through before the weekend is done and much cooler temperatures.

gusty northwesterly wind pumping in colder this morning. already give our high temperatures around midnight. degrees downtown, 54 in quantico. 41 intown, 40 degrees, cumberland. intoair spilling washington. hold steady inll the 40's for the majority of the with gusty wind. if on the weekend, light rain briefly >> how do you spell graupel? >> robin has asked. it's g-r-a-u-p-p-e-l. >> look at the big brain on sam. >> new vocabulary word today. and a miracle baby we told you about yesterday. born four months early. weighing less than a can of soda. abc's abbie boudreau spoke to

the mom of the miracle child. >> reporter: this is home video obtained exclusively by abc news of baby melinda, just three days old. born premature at 24 weeks. her skin, so thin, it could not protect her from infection. doctors never thought she would make it. >> they only gave her three days. past three days, probably she was going to survive. and she made it out of nowhere. >> reporter: melinda is the third-smallest baby to ever survive. she barely weighed a pound and a half at birth. her tiny foot, the size of her mother's fingernail. her entire body, small enough to fit in her doctor's palm. her mom had to wait a month and a half to hold her. what was it like? >> it was the greatest moment ever. >> reporter: babies like melinda usually just have a 1% or a 2% chance of survival. at 24 weeks, preemies don't have fully-working lungs or eyes. but somehow, melinda beat the

odds. >> yeah. >> she's a fighter. >> she is. she really is. >> reporter: even her doctors, calling her progress a miracle. melinda is now 3 1/2 months old. she weighs about four pounds now. and is starting to eat on her own. doctors say melinda will likely be home by the new year. for "good morning america," abbie boudreau, abc news, los angeles. >> what a great story. >> ease into the holidays. >> a great way for them to start the new year. coming up on "gma," a best-selling writer, convicted of killing his wife. why he's been released. now headed for a new trial after almost a decade. will he go away for good? plus, the secrets of amanda knox's trial are being revealed right now. a judge comes out with a report saying the case maybe shouldn't have been brought in the first place. and superstar justin bieber, stopped by cops again. why police pulled the singer and his bat mobile off the road. i won't ever say never.

>> go back to driver's ed. my name is robin. i'm a wife, i'm a mom... and chantix worked for me. it's a medication i could take and still smoke, while it built up in my system. [ male announcer ] along with support, chantix is proven to help people quit smoking. it reduces the urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. if you notice any of these, stop taking chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems, which could get worse while taking chantix. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you develop these, stop taking chantix and see your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. if you have a history of heart or blood vessel problems, tell your doctor if you have new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack. use caution when driving or operating machinery. common side effects include nausea, trouble sleeping and unusual dreams. my inspiration for quitting were my sons. they were my little cheering squad. [ laughs ]

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then >> live and in high is an abc 7this news update. >> good morning. friday, december 16. i am pamela brown. federal employees in the d.c. area can breathe a little easier this morning. republicans and democrats

deal to avoid a shutdown.vernment senate's must vote fund thelegislation to government through next september. spending bill expires tonight. soldiers suspected of giving secrets or face a today.y judge at fort meade will a and bradleyher be court-ould on two dozen charges .ncluding aiding the enemy a report on this on 8 in a few moments. now the morning commute. the beltway at colesville road looks pretty good. at 123oop of the beltway , an accident cleared away. traveling southbound 270, a usual.lighter than maryland and getting down a little slow,

towards the beltway. no accidents reported. there is some sunshine, but wind, and temperatures are dropping. we will be in the 40's for the rest of the day. 35 miles an hour. tonight, light rain cell phone area, so what snowflakes. this weekend, mid 40's,. and other news update at

state farm. this is jessica. hey, jessica, jerry neumann with a policy question. jerry, how are you doing? fine, i just got a little fender bender. oh, jerry, i'm so sorry. i would love to help but remember, you dropped us last month. yeah, you know it's funny. it only took 15 minutes to sign up for that new auto insurance company but it's taken a lot longer to hear back. is your car up a pole again? [ crying ] i miss you, jessica! jerry, are u crying? no, i just, i bit my tongue. [ male announcer ] get to a better state. text save to 7-8836.

look at that face. that is best-selling novelist, michael peterson, moments after winning a new trial, in a notorious staircase murder. he was accused of killing his wife. it inspired a documentary and a tv movie. now, he is out free on bail. could go free for good. dan abrams and nancy grace here to weigh in on all of that. plus, the secrets of amanda knox's trial. what the judge revealed why she was set to go free. and victoria johnson is back. blowout deals. and they all have free shipping in time for christmas. let's get to the writer, michael peterson, in prison for almost ten years for murdering

his wife. he's now a free man this morning. peterson was convicted in 2003, in a case that captivated the country. now, a judge has thrown out that conviction. abc's yunji de nies has the latest. >> reporter: michael peterson walked out of prison with the promise of a new trial and a chance at permanent freedom. >> i have waited over eight years. 2,988 days. >> reporter: he kissed his grandchild, born while he was behind bars. serving a life sentence for killing his wife, kathleen. his release has been met with mixed emotions. elation from his children. >> my dad is innocent. >> reporter: utter dismay of the family of his second wife. >> i would request that he stay in jail until 12 new jurors say he's not guilty. >> reporter: his murder trial captured the nation.

carried live on cable. inspiring a six-hour documentary and a tv movie. it was ten years ago that kathleen peterson was found dead, bloody at the bottom of a staircase in the couple's durham, north carolina, mansion. >> durham 911. what's your emergency? >> 1810 cedar street, please. >> what's wrong? >> my wife had an accident. she's still breathing. >> what kind of accident? >> still breathing. >> is she conscious? >> no, she's not conscious. >> reporter: peterson told police his wife had been drinking and taking valium. and had accidentally tumbled down the stairs. he recalls finding her in the documentary, "the staircase." >> what i remember, unfortunately, is her dying in my arms. >> reporter: but prosecutors said kathleen was brutally murdered. hit repeatedly with a fire poker. they told jurors peterson was having an affair with a man. and that a violent argument led to her death. much of their case was based on

the testimony of state bureau of investigation agent duane deaver. >> the impact splatters are those with bleeding that i have seen in the past. >> reporter: earlier this year, the state fired deaver, after finding he had misrepresented evidence in more than 30 cases. a judge ruled michael peterson deserves a new trial. >> the state's going to be handicapped. and it all goes back to duane deaver being less than honest in his testimony. >> reporter: deaver's attorney told abc news, he did not perjure himself or mislead the jury in the original peterson trial in any way. peterson is out on a $300,000 bond and is required to wear an electronic monitoring device. he will be staying in this house, preparing for his second chance at justice. >> what i want to do now, though, is spend time with my family. >> reporter: for "good morning america," yunji de nies, abc news, atlanta.

for more, we bring in "gma" legal analyst, dan abrams, here in the studio with me. and from atlanta, nancy grace. good morning to you both. nancy, i'm going to start with you. the judge's ruling, what do you think of that? >> well, i understand why the judge ruled the way he did. whenever you find out a witness has been untruthful in the past, it can affect the outcome of the trial. in this case, however, what the witness said in this trial was not deemed to be a problem. and i'm much more concerned about this. i'm more concerned about the antics that peterson has pulled in the past to get a new trial, including that a wild owl flew into the home and attacked his wife. and that's why she was killed. i'm also concerned about elizabeth ratliff, a name not many remember. the last woman in a was found at the bottom of a staircase with seven identical lacerations to the head, just like kathleen. the last person with her?

michael peterson. you know, there's so much to the trial that we don't hear about. >> yeah. those are legitimate concerns. but this isn't just a witness. this is an absolutely crucial witness. you're talking about how this woman died. and this was the blood splatter expert. and you have his own colleagues, coming in and saying that they think he exaggerated findings. you have national experts coming in and saying that his testimony was a problem. so, this is not just, you know, some harmless, ransodom witness. this is one of the most important witnesses in the case. and when you have that, you have to give him a new trial. >> and an independent panel came to the conclusion that he had been less than forthright in some cases. >> i'm not -- he pumped up his own credentials. he pumped up his testing techniques. that's not to say he lied about his conclusions in this trial. i understand at the outset why the judge did this.

but i think it would have been wiser to keep peterson behind bars where he belongs, awaiting a new trial. and that's entirely possible under our jurisprudence system. >> there's other issues here. an appeals court found that the search warrant was issued improperly. and they used that to get the motive for the crime. >> this was the third search they executed. this is why the retrial will be a real issue. some of the evidence that nancy's laying out is true. he has issues and problems here. but the prosecutors are going to have a real uphill battle here because now, you have this discredited witness. and you've got evidence that they won't be able to present they were able to present in the first trial. and you have faded memories. you have a case here, where this guy might get acquitted and a retrial. >> this is really difficult. not for the prosecution this time around, nancy? >> well, having retried cases 15 years after the original

conviction, on a murder trial, one of the first murders i ever had to try was a case that had been tried 15 years before. i hadn't even been to law school at that time. given the strength of the evidence in this case, i think we're going to see another conviction. and when you guys were talking about how happy the family is, i'll tell you one person that's not happy that i talk with on many occasions. that is the victim's daughter. she was not on the front row cheering the release of a convicted killer. and another thing they didn't talk about, money. a $1.5 million life insurance policy he had on her. it was in his name. and the fact -- not only are there male escorts in his past. going on at the time of the marriage. not only that. this guy, the novelist, hadn't written a book in years. he was living off her. >> yeah, that all may be the case. but i think when this goes to trial, you're still going to

have real issues for the prosecutor. nancy mentioned just to put it into context, what is happening. it's true. sort of this wild theory that someone presented, she was actually attacked by an owl. >> indoors. >> and that explains the wounds on her head because they actually found this. someone from the smithsonian has backed up the allegation that there was an owl. feather found, et cetera. you may see some wacky theories presented when they retry this case. >> i can only pray, dan abrams, i only pray they can bring in a theory that a wild owl caused seven lacerations on her head. and that she bled to death over a two-hour period. >> i think they would be smart to avoid the wild owl. i really do. but there's a lot of people who have been talking about this in the aftermath of this case. >> you and nancy, especially, said there's a lot more to this case. a lot more to it. nancy, have a great weekend.

thank you very much for spending some time with us. >> i'll see you in court. >> i like the vehement agreement between dan and nancy. >> yeah. the owl, they can agree on. thanks, dan. let's get over now to sam. >> good morning, everybody. we're going to start with the storm on the west coast again, that rocketed out of alaska. straight down the west coast -- caused so many -- second day in a row. so many problems into the southwest. and now, it is strong winds behind it. those winds are in vegas, also in rena. san francisco will see breezy conditions. but l.a. to santa barbara, san diego, involved, as well. on the east half of the nation, big rain. eastern texas full of rain. and the other batch runs right here. eastern kentucky, eastern .>> gusty wind right now

we have already hit the high temperature. temperatures will be dropping. thehe 40's for the rest of day. the areas of light cold rain the metro briefly, >> much weather today in the northwest coast. and we'll have all of america's weather. coming up, new details from the judge as to why amanda knox was really set free. multi-policy discount. paperless discount. paid-in-full discount. [yawning] homeowner's discount. safe driver discount. chipmunk family reunion. someone stole the nuts. squirrel jail. justice! countless discounts. now that's progressive. call or click today. hershey's air delight.

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pretty stunning news this morning in the amanda knox case, two months after she returned home after four years in an italian prison. judges crushed the prosecution's original case, saying there was never any solid evidence against amanda. "20/20's" elizabeth vargas, has been reporting on this from the beginning. she is here this morning. >> reporter: she's been spotted out with friends and with her sister, deanna. and now, the italian judges who set her free explain why they gave knox her life back, after four years in an italian prison. >> the immediate release. >> reporter: in the 143-page document, the italian judge who presided over the appeal of amanda knox, and her former boyfriend, raffaele sollecito, leaves no doubt in his decision to set them free. >> thank you, for being there for me. >> reporter: the judge condemned the prosecution's criticism of knox and sollecito's behavior,

shrugging off their kissing outside the crime scene. saying, it was simply tenderness between two lovers. he also criticized of the incessant duration of amanda's interrogation by italian police. nearly 50 hours over a few days. >> she was subjected to extreme stress. psychological pressure. and there was no true reliability to anything that may have been said. >> reporter: the judge states, quote, the evidence, even if taken in its totality, does not prove in any way, that amanda knox and raffaele sollecito are guilty of the murder of meredith kercher. the appeals court dismentaled the prosecution's case piece by piece. and did not believe the lurid theory that it was a sex game gone wrong involving three people. >> the forensic evidence is overemingly against rudy guede. >> reporter: rudy guede, a

drifter, is the only person convicted in the crime. the document also addresses the absence of a murder weapon, faulty dna, and insufficient proof that knox and sollecito was at the crime scene at all. the prosecution has 45 days to appeal the judge's acquittal, taking the case to the supreme court of italy. amanda's family released a statement saying amanda is satisfied with the opinion app and they take heart in the strength of her proclamation of her innocence. she is now writing a book of her account. >> how far along is she? >> she kept a journal behind bars. she's been keeping notes and writing letters. all of this will be for a book, much in demand right now. >> 21 publishing houses going after it? >> many, many, many. almost more than anybody else who has written a book lately. >> incredible. coming up, josh's "play of the day." and new steals and deals for christmas, only for "gma" viewers. [ nicole ] the holidays can be a lot of things.

but they should always be comfortable. [ nicole ] how do they feel? [ woman ] they feel wicked good. 'cause it's the wicked good slipper. [ nicole ] my name is nicole waite. i sell wicked good slippers. and the holidays are made here at l.l.bean, where your order ships for free. cigarette? you coming? umm, nah you go ahead. i'm good. alright. ♪ [ male announcer ] every time you say no to a cigarette, you celebrate a little win.

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here's "the play of the day." >> no time. no time. let's get right to it. why people do this sort of thing, i never know. 90 feet up. they decide to go down the waterfall in a kayak. anybody? anybody want to jump in here? >> what happened to the guys? >> if by fun, you mean remarkable insane. and it's a two-for. and i give to you, penguins fetching. >> that's great. coming up, justin bieber and the bat mobile. coming up, justin bieber and the bat mobile. no go where. iday gifts. save 50% off liz claiborne apparel. 55 to 60% off the coziest sleepwear. 60% off all blankets. and 50% off diamond jewelry. plus, with jcpcash, get $10 off when you spend just 25. no exclusions! unlike other stores, we don't make you come back to save.

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friday, december 16. good morning to you. brown.ela track work will cause delays metro this weekend. parts of the red, orange, blue yellow lines, from 10:00 tonight until closing sunday. metro says there will be no work christmas and new weekend. soldier accused of giving classified that mr. wikileaks in a hearing in our area. military judge at fort meade decide if private bradley be court-ould

nearly two dozen charges. supporters plan to hold a vigil outside. onwill have more on this few channel 8 in just a moments. now let us turn it over to steve hershorn to look at traffic. 395 northbound having a court across 14th street bridge. off and on as 95 traffic north on 2395 but fortunately everything is open. the beltway at university boulevard, outer loop, traffic us, in little bit minutes ago. few very slow and trying to pick up again. over to springfield, where it good.pretty interlude leaving springfield, accidents at 123, cleared away. everything is open. gusty, you can see the bouncing.mera winds will subside this afternoon. falling.res are already hit our hi, 62. will be in the 40's of the daythe rest

this evening dropping with light rain may be into -- south of the metro. seasonable. mid 40's, partly cloudy, maybe a morning.ries sunday here withou for being us. update inve another the

♪ it's the most wonderful time of the year ♪ [ cheers and applause ] and sam champion, josh elliott, lara spencer. we have a great crowd outside today. it's the most wonderful time of the year. we have some sweet deals in "steals and deals" for you. and who is that little sweetie? that's andrea canning's little girl. >> anna. >> that's just one of tory johnson's big deals. everything's half-price. and comes with free shipping. >> not going to give that up, either. >> she is so -- >> that's on the steals.

also, thinking of christmas gifts, we all know about wedding registries. but now, there's a christmas registry. you can post a list online at your favorite store of what you want for the holidays. some people say this is the best way to make the giver and the receiver happy. everybody gets what they want. no bad surprises. and people like josh, takes the spirit out of it. >> people like josh. >> reaffirming. and third time's a charm, we hope, for britney spears. we'll tell you about her big news that will have everybody talking. that is just ahead. >> remember when we were there, sam. there in san francisco. >> the concert here on "gma." >> was that this year? >> it was. >> it was may-ish. >> was it may? >> maybe march. >> it was march. >> it was nice in san francisco. it was good weather. >> how do you know? let's get to josh with the developing stories. >> we have lots to -- we have

more on the breaking news we first brought you in the 7:00 hour. authorities in russia say the -- they have seized radioactive material from a luggage in a passenger flying from russia to iran. they say the radioactive sodium could only be produced at a nuclear reactor. it could be more evidence of iran's ambition to build a nuclear bomb. and we'll keep you posted as more details become available this morning. we go to politics. mitt romney, picking up a key endorsement of south carolina governor, nikki haley. it could give him a boost in the state, where he currently trails nude gingrich. and romney played nice with gingrich last night in iowa. taking aim instead at president obama. gingrich took the most fire from michele bachmann, who challenged him on a range of issues, including his record on abortion. and crisis averted on capitol hill. overnight, congress reached a deal on a $1 trillion spending plan to avoid a government

shutdown at midnight tonight. and we just got word of settlement stemming from last year's historic oil spill in the gulf of mexico. the company that made the device that failed to stop millions of gallons of oil gushing from out of b.p.'s well, has agreed to pay $250 million in a settlement. that money will go to cleanup and to the victims of the spill. new details this morning about the elevator accident here in new york, that killed an advertising executive. investigators now say that just hours before the tragedy, workers were performing electrical maintenance. suzanne hart was killed as the elevator suddenly jerked upward, crushing her between the car and the shaft. and the barefoot bandit is expected to plead guilty in washington state today, to more than two dozen felonies. colton harris moore came world-renowned for stealing boats and cars, and planes, all while evading police in his

crime spree. he was arrested while flying a stolen plane to the bahamas. now, here's diane sawyer, with a preview of tonight's "world news." diane? >> good morning, josh. we know mothers banded together can do just about anything. tonight, you're going to see how they can make the health of all mothers so much better. be sure to watch it tonight on "world news." it's truly filled with hope. and later, a special "20/20," as well, josh. >> thank you, diane. finally, you don't have to be a football fan to at least cast one eye toward the battle this weekend, tim versus tom. creating a tear in the time/space continuum. tom brady going up against tim tebow. while quarterbacks don't play against each other, their teams do. both have skills on the field. these quarterbacks, complete of sifts off of it. once has dated and married a

supermodel. one is a devout christian and virgin. tebow has momentum. however, he's going up against one heck of a team. and in tom brady, a quarterback who is having another record-setting season. for tebow's sake, it helps to have that defense and that kicker. i'm just saying. >> doesn't hurt. >> it will be a good game. >> going to be sunday. >> the delivery of that. >> and -- scene. how's that, lara spencer? >> again? here we go. good morning to you all. justin bieber is not a really good driver or the lapd has a case of bieber fever. the biebs pulled over again in l.a. this week. it's the third time in five months. police say he made a left-hand turn from the middle lane while driving a car. >> bad driving. >> that's illegal. but no one noticed the car he was in. it was that cadillac converted into a bat mobile. did i also mention he has his

initials on the door, in case you didn't notice. the bat mobile. the biebs was let off with just a warning. maybe the cops were hoping for an autograph. >> how do you -- >> i tried that once. it was a yard sale. i had to get there. "the london guardian" neeb has had a lego group to re-create the biggest stories of 2011. among them, steve jobs, wearing his iconic black turtleneck. you're looking at the royal wedding. and charlie sheen, flanked by two of his goddesses. that's a lot tamer than they could have done for charlie. all can be seen on theguardian.com. it's easy to see why this video is trending this morning. at the only thing better than adorable babies is adorable babies with puppies. this is anna, a yorkie.

she is attacking baby benson with kisses. benson's parents say, he has crumbs all over his face. neither of these babies are coordinated enough to handle the situation. and the two-pounder takes down benson. want to point out, the human head does weigh a pound, after all. >> america just got happy eyes. >> what a reference there. finally, i wish i could stop there. but this is great news. britney spears has wrapped her femme fatale tour, which will give her more time to concentrate on planning a wedding. several sources say her long-time boyfriend will pop the question in vegas tonight. britney knows the ring is coming. and check out britney's new house in the valley. is it too late for brit to enter the celebrity edition of my lights are better than your lights? >> i don't know, josh. we'll have to have a ruling. that's at 8:30. >> yeah. we're going to have to convene. the tribunal.

>> several sources report that he's going to pop the question. >> she knows. she's in on it. >> she does know? >> yes. they talked together. and i assume it's in conjunction with her appearance at the paris hotel. she had to ask her conservativeship permission. i only have 30 seconds to tell the story. but -- >> that's a lot of pop news. >> thank you. we have interesting stuff in weather, as well, by the way. as i walk backwards to show -- can i do that? this picture, that's oceanographer jim ingram. but the story is not about him. cast your eyes back here to this giant object that's afloat that has chinese and japanese writing on it. that's because the olympic peninsula, near seattle, is getting what could be the first bits of debris from the tsunami in japan, that washed off the shores about a year ago. it's coming in way before it's expected.

that large, black float was found north of seattle two weeks ago, with chinese and japanese writing on it. washed up around vancouver and washington state. researchers believe it's from the tsunami. but models have shown that debris is not expected to make landfall for another year or so. folks, get this. this is about 25 million tons of debris that from tsunami that's expected to get to our coastline, most of it. and we're -- anywhere from alaska, all the way to southern california. just the first parts of it. toward the eastern seaboard, in comes that cold air. boston, to 29 degrees by sunday. philly, about 50 today. but much cooler later. l.a., thed morning -- sunshine, temperatures are dropping. our highit temperature, 62 degrees in the district. now, 49. 39 in cumberland. air spilling into

town. gusty as well, at least through lunch hour. then winds will subside. evening and tonight, few areas of light remixing into wet snowflakes, south of >> that's debris, by the way, real big concern. i mean, if 25 million tons gets to the coastline, that's a real problem. >> and it's getting here quick. >> much faster. those ocean currents are really fast. >> thank you, sam. here's a look at what else we have coming up on our "gma" americaning menu. paris jackson, her life, her love of music and hope of her future. and registering for what you want to unwrap under the tree. and "gma's" secret "deals and steals," holiday edition, something for everyone on your list. a deep discount, thanks to our tory johnson. and free shipping, to boot. stay with us.

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♪call 1-800-steemer. tory johnson coming to your rescue. we have hot gifts, low prices, free shipping and one adorable little canning. go nowhere. done done done done done done,done,done almost done. done done done done done,done,done,done,done done done done ♪ but my nose is still runny. [ male announcer ] truth is, dayquil doesn't treat that. really? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus fights your worst cold symptoms,

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so i used my citi thank you card to pick up some accessories. a new belt. some nylons. and what girl wouldn't need new shoes? we talked about getting a diamond. but with all the thank you points i've been earning... ♪ ...i flew us to the rock i really had in mind. ♪ [ male announcer ] the citi thank you card. earn points you can use for travel on any airline, with no blackout dates. that is coming up. what a coming-out week for paris jackson. stepping out for her first solo interview with ellen degeneres,

as she begins her movie career. it's clear that that 13-year-old hassed so some of the jackson magic. we have details of that candid interview. >> reporter: there's no doubt, paris jackson is every bit her father's daughter. >> my cousin and i made a game called the trillion. i'm trying to get my softball team to do it. >> uh-huh. are they doing it? >> no. >> reporter: and with that, the 13-year-old had ellen's audience eating out of her hand. it was her first solo interview, meant to promote her new and first movie. "lundon's bridge and the three keys." >> "lundon's bridge" is about trying to stop pollution. my dad wanted to heal the world. i think it would be great to try to follow in his footsteps and help the world. >> reporter: turns out the teenager also got his musical genes. >> i'm no beyonce.

but i sing a little bit. >> reporter: and she's well aware that comparisons will be made. >> i understand that i will be put on a certain level compared to him. >> yes. >> and i might not meet everybody's standards. but i mean, it's me. >> reporter: she talks about never really understanding as a child how important her father was to the world. >> when i was really little, i didn't know that. like, i just thought, like, he has a few songs out. but i figured everyone did that. >> uh-huh. >> reporter: today, music is one of his daughter's strongest ties to the father gone too soon. >> you watch everything? >> i know the songs by heart. >> 99% of my brain is his music. >> reporter: now, they're being raised by her grandmother, katherine. the brothers in the audience was a far cry from the seclusion they lived with her father. >> i don't want press all over

them at school. in the bushes and the trees. that's what happened to me. you know? they'll do the same and worse to them. >> reporter: today, all three jackson children show their faces in public. their mask-wearing days are over. >> that's stupid. why am i wearing a mask? >> right. >> but, yeah, i kind of realized the older i got, he tried to protect us. >> reporter: today, paris is happily enrolled in a school where she is treated like every other student. >> this year, when i'm in eighth grade, i decided to go on the football team. >> reporter: her father's way of life may be a thing of the past. but for paris, his advice lives on. >> he said, if i die tomorrow, always remember what i told you. i took his advice. and i remembered everything he told me. >> reporter: for "good morning america," bianna golodryga, abc news, new york. >> what an impressive, young girl. lara? >> thank you, george. and the hot, new trend for the holidays isn't a gift. it's a whole list of them. people are actually registering for christmas presents now, the

way couples register for their weddings. does the trend represent regifting? or does it take out the spirit of the season? >> reporter: we heard tacky. we heard greedy. smart, organized. all kinds of opinions. but a study found people prefer getting gifts they asked for. they rated givers more thoughtful if they gave something off a wish list. how does this change the exchanging of gifts this year? take a look for yourself. >> worst christmas present ever. >> ceramic yellow sneaker. >> socks. >> a gift i gave somebody, they regifted it back four years later. >> reporter: it was nine days before christmas when our worst dreams came true. a thought of a year of gifts that make us feel blue. when what to our wondering eyes should appear, but a new

christmas registry trend right here. the latest in lists, so our most-desired presents would never be missed. >> first, we found people asking for gift cards because they didn't want something they didn't like. then, we're seeing people, it's easier if i tell you exactly what i want. >> reporter: once reserved for weddings and baby showers. children, and, yes, even adults, are making their own lists and checking them twice. on a number of websites like santashideout. >> money you can spend exactly the amount you wanted to spend. and time, you're not running through every store trying to find the perfect gift that it turns out they don't even like. >> reporter: but could this trend be considered just as selfish as trampling someone on black friday? as tacky as giving a bad sweater? or worse, regifting? we found people registered for everything from a tesla roadster to uggs. >> a registry, that would make it easier.

>> it feels impersonal. you're not giving any thought to their gift. >> reporter: "gma" viewers weighed in. mia wrote, my 13-year-old sister has one. and i couldn't shop for her without it. another viewer wrote, it sort of rubs me the wrong way to have a registry for a holiday. it's an expectation, rather than a hope. now, dasher. now, dancer. now, vixen, and prancer. >> get one-on-one contact at the mall. >> reporter: lap mail. i love it. another interesting thing from that study. people long assume that the gift of crash is less thoughtful. on the contrary, lara, people love cash. >> oh, the gift that keeps on giving. thank you very much. i'm sure we'll have lots to talk about on our website. robin? >> always a lot to talk about. all right, ladies. time for "gma's" secret "deals and steals," holiday

edition. it's free shipping day for more than 2,300 merchants around the country. but only here can you get 50% and more discounts. but josh elliott is playing with little anna canning. and tory johnson is here to help out. >> how much fun are they having? >> mommy. got the mommy sighting. >> she is cooking up a storm here. this is so cool. who knew that barnes & nobel sold so much more than just books? first up is their uptown kitchen. anna's been cooking for the last half hour. she gives this the big seal of approval here. and momma's going to give this the seal of approval. when you hear the price. okay. listen up on this price. regularly, $195. okay? huge. slash that for "gma" viewers only, to just 98 bucks. and free shipping. free shipping. you have to assemble it.

but free shipping. and you can only get this deal by going to goodmorningamerica.com and clicking on our links. >> and look how happy she is. >> also, from barnes & noble, we have "west side story," quintessential american musical. but this is a special edition. 50th anniversary edition. it doesn't just come with the movie. hardcover with rare photos. you can only get in this edition. happens to be a favorite for me. natalie wood's daughter, natasha, was a college roommate and dear friend. >> what's the deal? >> regularly $70 for this set. slash it in half. 35 bucks, including free shipping. also, diddy. high on style. diddy beats have become one of the hottest gifts this season. it comes in a cute case, in white and in pink. you can take your pick. regularly, $180. slashed to $80 and free

shipping. >> good bargains. i'm so impressed by your focus. what's going on here with anna -- >> i know. i'm focused on the time we have. >> you want to get to the deals. >> anna is going to upgrade to this from wolfgang puck. >> nice. >> this is an all-in-one oven. convection, broils, bakes and toasts. not so teeny. it has wolfgang's name on it, it's going to be great. and wait until you hear the unbelievable price. regularly $140. wolfgang has it slashed in half. 70 bucks and free shipping. okay. lands' end, coats. these are their warmest parkas ever. >> our audience could use them outside. >> i know. we're bringing these to you. okay? so, these are tested at 30 below. they come for men and women. in the women, multiple colors, in petite, regular and plus. for men, regular and tall. wait until you hear these

prices. regularly, $105 to $130. slashed for "gma" viewers only, starting at $53. you really can't beat that. >> that's right. >> you guys. >> you have to be impressed by that. >> can't beat that. okay. ebags. luggage has been a huge favorite. not only can you choose from these four different pieces. my favorite is like this spinner. you can go through the airport and spin it. but one of the other items is this scale. a grip scale. you put this on your laggage at home. you don't have the embarrassing scenes when you get to the airport counter and your luggage weighs too much. >> and you have to pay extra. >> it's really cool. and the prices are even cooler. this particular deal -- >> thank you, tory. >> sam is taking that away. regularly -- the price just slashed. they start from $13 to $55. can't beat the ebags deal. last but not least, ice. ice is really a secret online for gorgeous, sparkling gems.

i think my favorite gift, this could go for anybody, all ages. feel this pearl necklace. pearl necklace, 10 to 11 millimeter freshwater pearls. you get this necklace, these earri earrings. this set, regularly $95. $38. you can't beat that. sam is coming to grab these, too. black diamond deals, all of this stuff on goodmorningamerica.com on yahoo! incredible deals. plus, bonus deals. here's my bonus hint, how pretty is that? goodmorningamerica.com on yahoo! you're going to get all these deals and so much more. i know. i don't want -- >> you do it. >> that's in your pocket and go. do you approve? >> all right. more "gma" in just a moment.

good morning. i am cynne simpson. surveillance cameras could be fairfax county on a case byct basis. night the school board voted to leave the decision up to each individual school. the multimillion-dollar proposal of dangerousies spring.hts last a soldier accused of giving to theent secrets wikileaks web site will face a jets today. hearing at fort meade will determine whether private court- manning should be nearly two dozen charges. have aner station will coming up inrt just a few minutes. now here is steve hershorn with

the traffic. the legion bridge. interlude, outer loop of the legion bridge -- the back up its loop entering the region, toward the toll road. it is starting to build up. leaving montgomery county. over to 66 at the roosevelt eastbound, still very good to the roosevelt bridge heading into the district and on to constitutionality. springfield, easing as you head toward the springfield interchange. loop is still pretty to 66.rom springfield temperatures dropping. down in the 40's locally. 49 in the district. 43 in martinsburg. the cooler air is blowing from the northwest and it is dusty. later on this evening and into tonight, south of the metro lightally, some areas of rain and mixing with a few

snowflakes but no accumulation. 8:56.ther news update at much for watching.

♪ [ cheers and applause ] and joining our great crowd out here in times square. they are ready for the weekend. so, who made the -- "people" magazine's most intriguing people of the year. who is on that list? a cue is the music that we're playing. can you hear that? they tell me it's playing. i don't hear it. i think it's adele. is it playing? i can't hear anything? "good morning america." also, take a look at cameron mathison.

he went on a huge treasure hunt. look at that. even rode a bucking bronco. and our warm coats, warm hearts drive. we're going to show you his adventure ahead. but now, to sam and your big announcement. >> we've been waiting all week long. of the my lights are better than your lights. this has been a huge thing, we've shown you. from all over the country. we did it in brackets. our family's on skype because they don't know who's won. they really don't know. let's put all three families up on skype, shall we? let's just see all of our pictures, including the families -- can we? there we go. not the bracket. let's see the skype. there. now, see, everybody is up. it's not just you, the whitis family. but you won. [ cheers and applause ] yeah. okay. yeah. i thought you'd be a little more excited, whitis family. i mean, it was a --

>> you did an awesome job for getting the word out for the semper fi fund. >> we thought we'd ask, first thing i want to know about, is how many lights are on the swirling tornado of trees on the right-hand side of the house, viewing from what we see? how many lights are right there? >> i think i have about 30,000 lights up there. and it adds a little bit of flair. we were trying to do something subtle and still say thanks to all the troops and get the word out. about 30,000 on that tree. >> and the electric company wants to say thanks to you, for getting them through the tough, long winter. how long, from start to finish, does it take to create what we're seeing on our tvs right now? >> we spent a couple months planning it and designing it. we took our 4-year-old carson and gave her all of the pixie stix we wanted. and a lot of patience on my wife, courtney. >> a lot of sugar-induced child

labor. >> it was willful labor. >> it is derek and courtney. and that's carson right in front of you, right? >> yes. >> all right. and what are you going to do next year to make it even bigger? you know, winning one year is fine. >> yep. >> winning two years would be awesome. >> you've raised the bar. >> so, what happens next year? >> well, we started thinking about that the other day. the bottom line for us was to try and do something that got the word out on the semper fi fund. and say thanks to all the troops around the world that are fighting that won't be home for christmas that know what it's like and provide us with freedom to celebrate the holidays the way we want to do. and thinking about next year, we have our own family. our cousin, chase white just got back. and our brother and sister-in-law, stephanie, were overseas. and we're going to come up with something to take it to the next level. we already want, as well as the other families that put in this great effort, getting the word for the charities out. and raising money for a better

cause than ourselves. >> we want to say, often times, we're thanking the troops for their service. we want to thank the whitis family for theirs. everybody, the whitis family. >> my dad would have approved. former marine, by the way. let's get to the boards. one or two things we want you to know as you head out your door. it's the weekend fly-by. it is friday. cuddle up next to sam. here's the cold blast that draws into the east coast today. an i mean anybody. i just -- yeah. no, no. not anyone. just lara and robin. and there's that rain that will happen deep down in texas. a little cool and windy weekend into the southwest. that's the weather. temperature is -- we already the high temperature 62.y, the 40's throughout the day. gusty. areas of training

the metro.f mixing in to wet s >> all that weather was brought to you by united health care. and, george, that's a toasty feeling, that lasts and lasts. >> you said that with such conviction, sam. all the big end of the year lists coming out. we've seen barbara and katie's. now, "people" magazine is out with its 25 most intriguing people. and larry hagman is here, about what caught the eye of him and readers of "people." you have to start out with the newlyweds. >> you have to. in a year of economic uncertainty, and bad news, here's the greatest thing out there. it came right at the right time, in springtime, when everyone needs a boost. it was just wonderful. and they pulled all this off. >> they certainly did. and speaking about that, how about the runaway bride. >> it's the opposite, exactly. even someone like me who covers

this stuff was surprised at the brevity of the kardashian union. i think we all believed back in august, that it was the real deal. >> you did believe it. >> sure. who wouldn't? i have a certain amount of healthy skepticism. but in this case, we thought it was for real. everything we heard from them indicated that. and what's found out here, is don't mess with marriage. you better be telling the truth. and 72 days doesn't necessarily mean that. >> did you feel a backlash from your readers? >> absolutely. people said, this is fake. and i'm really upset about this. i'll watch the show. i know it's reality tv. but don't try to kid me about a marriage. >> from that to inspiring. the survivor, jaycee dugard. >> you think about it. 18 years in captivity. to come out of there and be so forward-looking and so dynamic and so determined to get her life back, it's really impressive. it's tough to imagine what that was like. >> it was. that interview she did with diane was so gripping, just to see her tell her story. >> also, we were watching all

along, j.r. martinez, the dancing hero. another truly inspiring story. >> incredible story being burned. coming back from that. getting his life back. being fundamentally optimistic. and winning handily in a show that captivates everybody. >> we follow that all long here at "gma." and it was so great to hear all of his fellow dancers, competitors, they all liked him so much. they wanted him to win. >> it's great to watch someone become a star. and that guy did. suddenly, everybody was talking about this guy. and we had to jump on the story. >> and we heard her at the top of the show, the voice, adele. >> you can be listening to industrial music or somebody's grandmother. this woman appeals to everybody. it's an album of great songs. >> i have to hear about your trip to the white house. you sat down with both obamas. >> we did. mr. and mrs. obama on monday. he wears the weight of the world on him. he looked a little tired. >> gray. >> a little gray. and mrs. obama is ready for

2012. we asked the question saying, where did the guy from 2008 go? where has he been? she said, he's been fixing the country. >> a tough question. >> it was fascinating to see her answer it. she is ready to go. and she's ready to defend her husband and defend what he's done. >> did you get the sense that she had receded for a while. she's going to be coming out on the campaign trail? >> if the time we spent with them is an indication, absolutely. >> larry hackett, thank you very much. when we come back, dr. besser is on the case. the hidden health hazards you need to know about right where you work

our "doc at your door" is coming this morning. at one place, you might spend more time than your home, your office. abc's chief medical editor, dr. richard besser, went to one

place to uncover all of the health hazards you probably don't think about while you're hard at work. >> good morning. >> reporter: it's where we spend most of our day. >> a typical day is making deposits, filings. >> come in at 9:00 and work until whenever the game is over. >> reporter: family away from home. >> dan, he does chew gum loudly. >> what is one thing you can live without? >> calling me for no reason. >> reporter: one thing, at augusta, georgia, and the office staff of the green jackets baseball team. rich besser. selling sponsorships, tickets, ads. high stress. >> you can be stressed out. >> reporter: how long a break do you need to relieve stress? one minute? five minutes? or ten minutes? >> i would guess five. >> reporter: nope. a one-minute minibreak. close your eyes, breathe, and stretch. another way they do it? >> that's my favorite song.

>> reporter: or sing. ♪ all night long all night ♪ >> reporter: when is it okay to call in sick? >> probably never. >> okay. >> reporter: if you're coughing and sneezing constantly -- >> dayquil or pills. >> reporter: if you have a fever or bad cold, call in sick to avoid spreading germs. a hangover, that's between you and your boss. workers come in different times. desks here don't. debbie's feet are dangling. her back is unsupported. get her a desk and chair that fits. but in the meantime, yoga. now, those lurking calories. >> after being on the phone every now and again, i need to have some comfort food. >> wendy's, as always. >> reporter: did you realize a handful of gum drops is 130 calories. m&m's, 236 calories.

pop-tarts, a 210 calories. and that's before soda. that one a day, and that's nearly 18 pounds a year. >> we like mountain dew. >> mountain dew, that's it. >> reporter: our cameras watch, as hands grab the holiday treats we have. still going. how many calories in dan's chicken finger plate? >> 875. >> reporter: and the survey says -- 1,490. a smiling meal. if you're sitting all day like lauren, how long will it take to burn off her fried chicken salad? we put on a fit mitt to see how much you're burning. you're burning one calorie a minute. how much was that lunch salad? 1,125. >> reporter: it would take nearly 19 hours to burn off that 1 salad. that's a long time to burn off a lunch. to burn off the calories at lunch, take a walk and talk

face-to-face. and stair it, whenever you can. and for this back office, that means, play ball. >> good morning, america. >> reporter: you have to love the augusta greenjackets. what an office. they learned there's a lot of things you can do in the office that can make a big difference to your health. we spend about one-third of our lives in the office. it really matters. >> i do that. i do that. oops. >> important. >> and also, very important, you are back with a very special edition of "20/20," with diane sawyer, i understand. >> yes. abc news has spent the past year traveling the globe, telling these stories about the health of the world. and tonight, an inspirational diane sawyer special. it's giving life a risky proposition, at 10:00 p.m. eastern time. >> your work all is. and speaking of giving life, we have an update on our million moms challenge contest.

expectant moms sent in pictures of messages on their bellies. look at our finalists. abbey lumas, waiting to meet my hero. and allison gerstien, may you stay forever young, the bob dylan lyric. and katie martin wrote, i want to hold your hand. the winner gets a trip to australia to have a photo session and portrait of herself with her newborn taken by famous baby photographer anne geddes. we want to thank sponsors for sup is port of our million moms challenge.

we are dancing around for a little body heat. but can you imagine if we didn't have our coats? and there are some people who don't. so, our warm coats and warm hearts coat drive has one month left for you to give a gift that

will make you feel warm inside. and cameron mathison is looking around in the hustle and bustle, looking for coats. and some of the spots he visited are owned by our parent company, disney. >> reporter: how did i get here? stuck in the middle of times square with over two dozen coats dragging me down? well, it all started when my "gma" friends sent me out on a treasure hunt. i was given seven clues and one goal, to collect as many coats as i could possibly carry. stopumber one. first clue, professional bull riders and a mechanical bull. you must be luke and colby. am i right? okay. nice to meet you. you have some jackets for us. bring 'em on. a few coats. and a lesson from the pros. anything to collect coats. you know what i'm saying? i'm going to leave that to you guys. and i'm going to go get some

coats. all right. stop two -- clue two, the fantastics with a celebrity surprise. carter. hey. how are you doing? cool. >> how do you want to do this? >> reporter: i'll hold it. put it on me. fantastic. next, a show that's not on broadway yet. wait a minute. "newsies." you guys aren't on broadway yet? >> i know. >> reporter: you have coats for us. i can't wait to see the show. the show where i made my broadway debut. i definitely know that one. got to be "mary poppins." hello. hello. thank you so much. so generous of you. clue five, go to the home of

mufasa and pum ba. we know where they live. you have coats? >> yes, we do. >> this is so cool. thank you. >> reporter: one, two, awesome. ooh. okay. next, an offbroad di show about clothes and the memories they trigger. that has to be "love, loss and what i wore." this is so good. thank you so much. >> it was great for you to stop by. >> reporter: all set. last clue. find peter parker. one place. can i see the mask? that's what i'm talking about. all done. although there were moments i needed a coffee break and got sidetracked by the naked cowboy. and dropped a few coats along the way. but i made it. now, it's time to head to burlington coat factory. and i asked a perfect stranger

to take my photos. okay. here we go. what it's all about. now, i need to tweet the photo. warm coats. warm hearts. my job is done. [ cheers and applause ] >> that is fantastic. and my new friend, solomon, thanks to the professional bullfighters were donating 300 coats. and it runs january 6th to the 8th. and "love, loss and what i wore" goes on a national tour in march. we've been pushing for the grand total of 1 million coats. please, help make it happen. thank you for all you've done by bringing your coats to the barr burlington coat factory. and the grand total, 868,775 coats.

thank you so much for everyone who donated. a great gift this holiday season to someone who really needs it. and you should know, the coats stay in your area. when you go to the burlington coat factory in your area, the coats stay in your region, in your area. we distribute them as they're coming in. we're not waiting to the end of the winter to get them out to everybody. so, thank you. everybody. so, thank you. or creates another laptop bag, it's not just good for business. it's good for the entire community. at bank of america, we know the impact that local businesses have on communities. that's why we extended $13.2 billion to small businesses across the country so far this year. because the more we help them, the more we help make opportunity possible.

on monday, coming up, lmfao. say good-bye. [ cheers and applause ] say, good-bye, america. good morning to you.

8:56, and i'm cynne simpson. mayor gray once the federal tab ofent to pick up the occupy d.c. protest, saying the city $1.6 million since october. national park service and u.s. are a lot of the so theyrs to remain, pay the cost of accommodating them. just-in-time for the holidays, a new photo of the first family. andident and mrs. obama daughters post after church.g was taken at the oval office. we will start with a look at heading northidge on 395, still pretty slow the district. but everything fortunately is open. heading over to our map right now, northbound on 95 north of near route 32, an accident, like on the left side, delay as you pass it. bw if you have to get up to

baltimore in a timely fashion, you may want to parkway.he over to springfield, still looks at the springfield interchange. loop leaving springfield, braddock to 66. sunshine but the clouds will on. in later 49 in the district. we already hit our high- earlier this morning. culpeper, 50, quantico, 51. kohlberg to the northwest. the cooler air is filtering into town. notice, the winds through the this hour and later on early night of light some areas in with what snowflakes, the lease out of town. accumulation expected. you for watching. we will be back at noon. in the meantime, "